Divided Loyalties
by Hazelspirit
Summary: You're in love. But what happens when your mate has another mate behind your back? What if it's your sister? Suspence and tragic love guaranteed! -CHAPTER 8 IN THE WORKS!-
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Warriors, but I do own my characters.**

Divided Loyalties

Prologue

The sun set on a warm new-leaf evening. Three kits, Pebblekit, Lionkit, and Moonkit, sat outside the nursery, watching the sky. They were to be apprenticed the next day.

Moonkit, a brown tabby tom, mewed, "Wow, the sky looks so…"

"Beautiful," finished Lionkit, a golden she-cat. Pebblekit, a light gray she-cat with silver paws and muzzle, nodded in agreement.

Willowcloud and Gingerfrost, two ThunderClan queens, padded up to the kits.

"Come, Pebblekit and Lionkit. You need your rest for your apprentice ceremony tomorrow." Gingerfrost meowed to her two daughters.

"Yes, you too, Moonkit," meowed Willowcloud to her son.

The kits agreed, and hurried off into the nursery, excited for the coming day.

**0..0..0..0..0..0**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting." called Firestar, the ThunderClan leader, from atop the Highledge. Lionkit prodded Pebblekit awake with one paw.

"Pebblekit! Time for our apprentice ceremony!" cried Lionkit.

Pebblekit was awake in an instant. Lionkit, Moonkit, and Pebblekit hurried out of the nursery, followed by their purring mothers.

"Pebblekit, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Pebblepaw. Your mentor will be Squirrelflight. Squirrelflight, may you pass all of your courage and bravery to your young apprentice." Firestar meowed.

Squirrelflight came forward and touched noses with the excited Pebblepaw.

Lionkit and Moonkit sat restlessly, purring their congratulations to Pebblepaw.

"Moonkit, until you receive your warrior name, you'll be known as Moonpaw. Your mentor will be Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw, may you pass all your great hunting skills to your young apprentice."

Moonkit, wriggling with excitement, touched noses with Brambleclaw.

"Lionkit, until you receive your warrior name, you'll be known as Lionpaw. Your mentor will be…" Firestar paused, deep in thought. "Me," he finally finished. He leaped down off the Highledge and touched noses with Lionpaw.

Pebblepaw, Lionpaw, and Moonpaw stood together in the middle of the clearing, the cats crying, "Pebblepaw! Moonpaw! Lionpaw!"

A young, dusty-colored apprentice padded up to the three friends. "Hey, Pebblepaw, Lionpaw, Moonpaw! I'm Questpaw." he meowed. "I'll show you the apprentice's den."

**This is my second fanfic, besides my songfic. The prologue may seem a little…well…snore But a cool plot is coming!-Liontide**


	2. Chapter 1: Love is in the Air

Chapter 1

Love is in the Air

**BTW, the time frame is shortly after the Clans arrive (and get settled) in their new home. This chapter is a few moons after the Prologue.**

It was a chilly leaf-fall day, and the apprentices had just gotten back from training. Moonpaw went over to the fresh-kill pile and got a juicy vole.

"Want to share?" he offered to Lionpaw. She agreed.

Lionpaw realized she was falling in love with Moonpaw, and it seemed like he was in love with her, too. The two apprentices quietly ate their vole together. Pebblepaw ate a shrew a few fox-lengths away, and Lionpaw felt guilty for not eating with her sister also, but then Questheart (who is now a warrior) ate beside her.

After Moonpaw and Lionpaw finished eating, they heard Firestar call for a meeting, and they all headed beneath the Highledge.

"Pebblepaw, Moonpaw, and Lionpaw are all ready to become warriors," the ThunderClan leader announced. "I ask that StarClan look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as full warriors in your turn. Pebblepaw, Lionpaw, Moonpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," replied Lionpaw, Moonpaw, and Pebblepaw, their bodies wriggling with excitement.

"Pebblepaw, you will be known as Pebblestream. Lionpaw, you'll be known as Liontide. And Moonpaw, you will be known as Moonfang." Firestar meowed.

"Pebblestream! Liontide! Moonfang!" called the cats of ThunderClan.

Lionpaw purred, but she knew she couldn't say anything for the rest of the night. As cats started heading for their dens to sleep, Liontide, Moonfang, and Pebblestream went to the camp clearing to sit vigil.

Moonfang edged closer to Liontide, so close that their pelts were touching. His fur felt warm against the cold leaf-fall wind, and she started purring happily.

**0..0..0..0..0**

The dawn sun began to rise over the hills, turning the sky a light pink. Moonfang turned to Liontide. "We can speak now," he purred softly, "Liontide. It's so…beautiful. It fits you."

Liontide looked at her paws, embarrassed. She looked around for her sister, but she was already gone. She had probably gone to rest after the long, cold night of staying awake and guarding the camp. Moonfang nuzzled Liontide on the head.

"Follow me," he meowed, and hurried out of the camp. Liontide raced after him.

Together the two cats hurtled through the trees, avoiding large clumps of bracken. Soon they came to a shaded hollow, surrounded by beautiful flowers. Moonfang sat down, curling his tail around his paws.

"It's…beautiful," Liontide breathed, looking around. "I've never seen this before."

"I like to call it…my special spot. I come here a lot to think," Moonfang meowed.

Liontide purred, settling herself down against the cold air. "How do those flowers grow in leaf-fall? I thought they only grew in new-leaf and green-leaf."

"These are a special kind of flowers," Moonfang meowed.

Liontide nodded. Moonfang came to lay beside her.

"Liontide…I…I don't know how to say this, but…" Moonfang started.

Liontide looked puzzled. "Go on," she meowed.

"I…I love you, Liontide."

Liontide purred with relief. "I love you, too, Moonfang," she meowed.

The two cats lay together, basking in the leaf-fall sun, their tails twined together. They knew they were meant for each other. But the real trouble was soon to come…

**Hope you liked this chapter! Remember, R&R! -Liontide**


	3. Chapter 2: A Wonderful Surprise

Chapter 2:

A Wonderful Surprise

Liontide and Moonfang padded back to camp together, their pelts brushing. Pebblestream spotted them and walked up.

"Hey," she meowed, "What's up?"

"Pebblestream," Liontide replied, "Moonfang and I are in love!"

Pebblestream purred. Moonfang nodded, and went off to the fresh-kill pile, while Pebblestream and Liontide talked to each other excitedly.

Moonfang came back with a plump starling. He set it down it front of Pebblestream and Liontide.

"Enjoy," he purred, and walked off towards the warriors den.

**0..0..0..0..0..0**

It was a few days later, and Liontide was hobbling along the pebbly shore of the lake, just relaxing. She sat down, a wind blowing off the water making her fur sway like the grass. She sighed, liking that she was alone and could think. Liontide stood up again, and started hopping from rock to rock along the shore.

Suddenly, a huge pain hit Liontide's side, sending her writhing on the pebbly ground.

"Help me…" gasped Liontide. The world darkened.

**0..0..0..0..0..0**

Leafpool padded through the forest, her light amber eyes searching for useful herbs. She decided to head to the lake shore to look for herbs that grew in moist areas. As she got closer, the ThunderClan medicine cat heard a yowl that turned her blood to ice. Forgetting about the search for herbs, Leafpool raced through the undergrowth to the pebbly shore of the lake.

"Liontide!" meowed Leafpool in surprise when she saw the unconscious cat. It looked as if she had a severe bellyache.

"Oh, no, no, no," muttered Leafpool to herself. She looked frantically around. She would need juniper berries…chervil root would work also…but none of those were nearby!

"Water mint!" concluded Leafpool at last, and immediately found a clump of it growing on the shore. She opened Liontide's jaws, put the herb in, and rubbed the she-cat's neck to ease it down.

"There, that should make it better," Leafpool meowed, then she turned tail and pelted back to camp, avoiding the trees along the way.

"Liontide is ill, she laying unconscious by the lake!" Leafpool mewed almost as soon as she reached her camp's hollow.

"What?" mewed Moonfang worriedly, hurrying up to her. Firestar was right behind him.

"Liontide?" Leafpool's father and ThunderClan's leader questioned. "By the lake? What is her illness?"

"It seems to be a terrible bellyache," Leafpool answer, tension pulsing through her. "But she is still unconscious. I gave her some water mint."

"Led the way," Moonfang meowed.

Leafpool nodded. "We need to bring her away from the cold, pebbly shore, to camp of we can manage it."

Firestar nodded grimly. He turned around, calling, "Ashfur! Rainwhisker! Liontide is ill beside the lake. Leafpool needs your help to bring her back to camp."

Rainwhisker and Ashfur stood where they were sharing tongues, shaking the dust from their pelts.

"Okay, let's go!" Ashfur meowed.

Moonfang looked at his paws. Leafpool knew that he liked Liontide, and she liked him.

"Firestar, can Moonfang come, too?" Leafpool meowed.

"Of course," Firestar answered. "But hurry!"

The cats urgently nodded, and hurried through the forest, avoiding trees and clumps of bracken. Soon they arrived at the edge of the lake, where the unconscious Liontide lay. Moonfang rushed to her side, licking her fur gently and whispering softly into her ear.

Rainwhisker and Ashfur exchanged an exaggerated glance and, along with the help of Leafpool and Moonfang, helped lift the sick Liontide and carry her back to the hollow. As soon as they went through the thorn bush entrance, Firestar hurried over.

"Has she awoken yet?" he asked worriedly.

"No," mewed Leafpool sadly. "Not yet."

The four cats placed Liontide down in the medicine cat's den, where Leafpool examined her belly further, Moonfang watching, a gleam of fret in his pale green eyes.

Leafpool gave a grunt of surprise when she felt something strange when feeling Liontide's belly.

"Oh, StarClan," the tortoiseshell medicine cat muttered.

Moonfang stood up, startled and frightened. "What? What is it?" he meowed worriedly.

"Moonfang," started Leafpool softly, "Liontide is expecting kits, and I believe they're yours."

**OoOoOoOoOoO! R&R! -Liontide**


	4. Chapter 3: A Hidden Secret

Chapter 3:

A Hidden Secret

Moonfang stood and stared at the ThunderClan medicine cat, Leafpool, shocked beyond belief.

"Liontide…my kits…" he meowed, dazed. Leafpool nodded. At that moment Liontide stirred.

"Ah, my stomach aches," she moaned. Moonfang padded over and sat by her head, licking it gently.

"I'm here Liontide." whispered Moonfang into Liontide's fur.

Leafpool smiled and purred. "Liontide, you are expecting Moonfang's kits," she meowed softly.

Liontide looked up, surprised. "Really?" she mewed weakly. Moonfang gently pushed her head back down onto the mossy ground.

"Rest, my beautiful Liontide," he murmured, feeling excited, fearsome, and surprise all at once. He wondered if feeling all those things at the same time was normal.

Liontide purred, closing her eyes.

"I love you, Moonfang,"

"I love you, too, Liontide,"

The two mates fell asleep, their tails twined together. Leafpool watched them, sighing with happiness, and left to get some fresh-kill.

**0..0..0..0..0..0**

Liontide awoke, feeling a strange sensation in her belly. She stood, suddenly dizzy, and threw up. Leafpool came rushing to her side, examining her closely.

"You'll be alright, feeling woozy in the stomach is another symptom of expecting kits," Leafpool assured Liontide, as Moonfang woke up with a start.

"Liontide!" he meowed, checking over the sickly-looking she-cat. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Liontide, still feeling terrible, managed.

"Good," Moonfang meowed, looking unconvinced. "Let me get you something to eat…"

"No." interrupted Leafpool. "She cannot eat until she feels well enough to, because she will just throw up the fresh-kill, and we don't want to waste any."

Leafpool chuckled when she saw Moonfang's concerned look. "Don't fret! She won't die." she added.

Moonfang nodded hastily. "I'm going to tell Firestar and the others," he had a hint of pride and joy beside the fear and anxiety in his voice.

Leafpool nodded to the proud young warrior and settled herself beside Liontide.

"How do you feel?" she meowed.

"Tired, and my belly still feels yucky," Liontide answered, although she sounded excited. Leafpool nodded.

"Your belly will feel weird for a while, but you'll get used to it," the medicine cat meowed. Liontide nodded curtly.

"Yes, and it is all worth it in the end," the pregnant she-cat agreed. She stood, stretching, then left the medicine cat's den. Leafpool put her tail on the golden she-cat's shoulder.

"Where are you going? You should rest," Leafpool mewed.

Liontide half-nodded, then sat down. Just as she did, she saw Moonfang and Liontide's sister, Pebbleriver, beside the nursery, hidden from view of everyone else.

_He must be telling her about our kits, _Liontide thought happily.

But then she saw Moonfang lick Pebbleriver's ear tenderly and whisper something sweetly to her, and Liontide was struck with the cold, hard, depressing truth.

**Remember, R&R! -Liontide**


	5. Chapter 4: Goodbye

Chapter 4

Goodbye

Moonfang didn't glance back at Pebbleriver as he padded back into the medicine cat's den. Liontide was in a corner, letting her tears fall like rain. Leafpool was trying desperately to calm her down and figure out what was wrong. Moonfang rushed to her side.

"What is it, Liontide? Do you feel sick again?" he meowed worriedly. He knew he cared deeply for his mate, but he also loved Pebbleriver. But he knew he couldn't possibly have both.

Liontide shook her head, but she looked like she had to throw up again. "I…I saw…" she managed, before her eyes closed and she went limp.

"What? Liontide! Leafpool, what's going on?" Moonfang meowed, scared to the bone. Was Liontide…dead?

"Stop yowling; you'll make everyone think there's a badger in camp," Leafpool meowed. "Calm down. Liontide obviously needs her rest. Let her sleep; she's had a rough day."

Moonfang sighed inwardly. He loved Liontide. He couldn't love Pebbleriver also! Had Liontide found out? What did she mean by 'I saw'?

Leafpool was looking at him, her head cocked with a curious and concerned look on her face. "You should rest too," she meowed. Moonfang couldn't think of anything else to do, and he realized that he was really tired.

**0..0..0..0..0..0**

Liontide awoke and at first she felt a happy rush of excitement to feel Moonfang's pelt pressed against hers and her kits inside of her. But then she remembered what she had seen, and she yanked herself away from her so-called mate. Moonfang awoke, and looked at her, hurt in his eyes.

"You don't want to sleep beside me?" he meowed softly. He purred. "What, do I smell bad or something?"

"No." was all that Liontide managed. She couldn't bear to believe that her sweet, affectionate mate was really sharing her with her sister! She turned her back on him, still depressed.

"Really, what is it?" Moonfang meowed, settling himself beside her.

"Why don't you ask Pebbleriver? She is your mate, you know," Liontide replied coldly.

Moonfang stared at Liontide in shock. How could she possibly know? Except…

"You were spying on me!" he cried angrily.

"Spying?" spat Liontide, her fur starting to bristle. "You are the one who is seeing two she-cats!"

"No…no I'm not!" fumbled Moonfang, extending his claws. "You're my mate. I was just telling Pebbleriver about us having kits. You would want your own sister to know, right?"

Liontide let out a low growl. "I don't believe you," she said. Inside she cried desparately, _Where is the Moonfang I love? Where is the Moonfang that I'm going to have kits with? This surely isn't him!_

Moonfang bared his fangs. Then suddenly his let his fur lie flat, and he sheathed his claws. "You…you don't believe me?" he asked, his eyes narrowing. "Than you aren't really the Liontide I mated. Goodbye."

With that, he stalked off, out of the medicine cat's den, out of camp, and into the forest.

Liontide slumped against the bramble wall of the den. She was sadder than she had ever been. _How could Moonfang do this to me? _She thought. _How could Pebbleriver, my very own sister, do this to me?_


	6. Chapter 5: Pebbleriver and Moonfang

Chapter 5

Pebbleriver and Moonfang

Moonfang felt guilt and sadness prick his paws at each step he took. He looked up at the canopy of tree branches and leaves above him, and sighed. He couldn't go back to camp now. Liontide would have nothing to do with him. Depression clawed at his heart. He regretted all of this, and what was worse was that Liontide wouldn't even want to be his friend at least if she didn't want to be his mate anymore. He sighed again, and suddenly he heard footsteps behind him. Whipping around, he saw Pebbleriver's gentle gaze looking back at him.

"What's wrong?" the gray she-cat asked, purring gently.

"What do you mean, what's wrong?" snapped Moonfang. "I have two mates, and one of them's expecting kits! And she knows that I'm seeing you!" His fur was standing on end, and his claws were unsheathed.

Pebbleriver took a step back, her eyes wide with fear. "Moonfang…" she whispered. "I didn't mean for this to happen, but I love you…and so does Liontide!" She paused, then meowed, "She knows?" She sounded shocked. "How did she figure it out?"

Moonfang let his fur lay flat. "I'm sorry I snapped at you," he murmured. "It's just…I'm so stressed out! Liontide…she saw me with you! I denied it, but she didn't believe me." _If I were telling the truth, would she have still thought I was lying? How well does Liontide trust me? _He thought warily.

Pebbleriver looked distressed. "I never wanted to hurt my sister!" she cried. "But…how could this have happened? Do StarClan hate us?"

Moonfang sighed. "It's not StarCan who made this happen. It's us, and it's our faults." He meowed gravely. "My fault."

Pebbleriver trembled. "But don't StarClan watch us all the time? They could've warned us or stopped us!"

Moonfang shook his head. "Yes, they watch us all the time, but we are not the playthings of StarClan," he answered. "He have our own thoughts, goals…feelings. We can do as we please, and StarClan can't stop us."

"But they could've warned us!" cried Pebbleriver. "Now my sister probably hates me!"

"She hates me, too," Moonfang meowed, sadness deep in his voice. "But StarClan know that some things we just have to solve ourselves. And some things…StarClan don't even know."

Pebbleriver gasped. "I thought StarClan knew everything!" she exclaimed.

Moonfang sighed. "Well, they don't," he meowed.

Pebbleriver looked at her paws. "So what will we do now?" she whispered. "What will we do, if StarClan won't help us?" She paused, then asked curiously, "And how do you know so much about StarClan?"

Moonfang gazed sadly off into the distance. "When…my mother died," he murmured. "Leafpool answered all my questions about StarClan." He sighed. He had never felt worse in his life, and now the pain of his mother's death seeped back into him, causing more grief. Moonfang thought he would die.

Pebbleriver went quiet. "Oh," she murmured. Silence hung in the air, and then Moonfang spoke up.

"I should have never gotten a mate. Then none of this would've happened, and we'd all be friends."

Pebbleriver looked up, completely shocked. "What? So you regret loving me?" she meowed, her eyes wide.

"I-I didn't mean that -" Moonfang meowed, surprised that what he said meant that he wouldn't love either of them, which he couldn't help but doing.

"But you said it," Pebbleriver's voice was cold and dry. "You never really loved me, did you? Did you love Liontide, either?"

"I love you both!" cried Moonfang. "Please, I'm sorry, I don't want to lose you, too!"

"I can't take this anymore!" hissed Pebbleriver. "You can't love us both. Now's your time to choose, Moonfang. Who do you really love - me, or Liontide?" With that, she stalked away, her tail lashing.

**Things are really starting to heat up now! Who will Moonfang choose - Pebbleriver, or Liontide? Stay tuned to find out…R & R! -Liontide**


	7. Chapter 6: The Kits

Chapter 6

The Kits

Moonfang watched as Pebbleriver padded off. His heart felt ripped in two – he didn't know what he should do. Sighing heavily, he walked in the opposite direction. The stars of Silverpelt began to show themselves, and Moonfang looked up sadly.

"Great StarClan," he meowed. "Please help me. I've made an awful mistake…and lost my best friends in the process."

888888

Days had passed, and Liontide had refused to have anything to do with Moonfang. Moonfang was crestfallen, but he eventually gave up trying to apologize. But for some reason, he found himself with Pebbleriver a lot more than normal, having a good time. Then he would remember Liontide, and he would feel like a rock was dropped in his belly.

Moonfang padded back to camp one morning, Pebbleriver at his side. They both carried fresh-kill. As they entered the camp, they heard an eerie, blood-curdling wail. It was very familiar…it seemed to come from…

"Liontide!" cried Moonfang and Pebbleriver in unison, and they quickly exchanged a terrified glanced before dropping their fresh-kill and racing into the nursery.

Sure enough, there lay Liontide, in a nest of moss and leaves, flailing her legs and wailing. "Liontide!" yowled Moonfang again, and he leapt to her side. "Pebbleriver…the kits are coming! Get Leafpool!"

Pebbleriver's eyes widened and she dashed off, out of the den. Moonfang nuzzled Liontide's heaving flank, despite the fact that she wasn't friendly towards him. "Liontide…you're going to be okay, Leafpool's on her way!" he murmured to her. Surprisingly, Liontide nodded and whispered, "Thank you,"

Moonfang looked into her eyes and she looked into his. A long and painful spasm went down Liontide's side, and she shrieked with pain, but her eyes never pulled away from Moonfang's gaze.

Panting, the she-cat whispered, "Moonfang…I…I need to tell you something…it's…important…" he voice trailed off as another spasm rippled down her flank and she wailed again. Moonfang pressed closer to her. "Save your strength, Liontide…" he whispered back.

The she-cat shook her head, then yowled in pain again. Moonfangstill gazed into her eyes meaningly. "Liontide…think about the kits!"

Liontide forced a smile through gritted teeth. "Our kits," she panted. "Mine…and…your's…" She rested her head on Moonfang's shoulder, panting heavily, spasms coming frequently now. "Moonfang…I need to…tell you…"

Suddenly, a solemn Leafpool and an anxious Pebbleriver came pelting into the nursery. Liontide laid her head back down on her mossy nest, and Pebbleriver came to sit beside Moonfang.

"Is she okay?" asked Pebbleriver worriedly. Leafpool put down her mouthful of herbs and meowed, "She should be, just hang on..."

Moonfang and Pebbleriver anxiously waited, both fearing for the worst, and one extremely curious about what Liontide wanted to tell him. Was it that she loved him? That she _really_ loved him, and that he should love her and not Pebbleriver? For some reason, Moonfang hoped that Liontide would not say that.

Soon enough, Leafpool turned around. "She has two healthy kits," she meowed.

Moonfang sat up straight with pride, and Pebbleriver heaved a sigh of relief.

But then Moonfang saw the anxiety and sadness that was etched onto Leafpool's face.

"But…I'm afraid I'm losing her."

Moonfang's eyes widened. "But…no…she can't be…Liontide!" He bolted forward, not even glancing at his kits. He stared at Liontide's face, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Pebbleriver came over next to Moonfang, sharing the same shocked, scared, and horrified expression.

"It's my time to join StarClan," whispered Liontide. "Moonfang…I will always love you…but I need to tell you…I know who you love best. It's Pebbleriver. You are so happy with her. And I want you to be happy, always." She coughed and blood splattered out of her mouth. "My sister, I want you to be happy always as well. I love you both. I will watch you forever, until one day you come to join me. I'm not mad at either of you. Please take care of our kits, Moonfang…"

Barely able to speak, Moonfang whispered, "I will. Thank you…but please don't go…"

Pebbleriver was shaking and she whispered, "My sister, I love you, please don't leave me…"

Liontide was looking distant and peaceful. "It is time for me to go now. I love you…good-bye…" She gave one final breath, and she gave her last smile before the light died from her eyes, and she lay still.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o! Yep, old evil me. Mwhahahaha! LOL! Well, this means there's only a chapter or two left, and I might make a sequel, about Moonfang and Liontide's kits, if you all want ;) R&R! x//purrs, Liontide**


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